If you are in the market for a new mobile phone and you want one that very well might be the best available today (well, tomorrow) then you might want to look into Verizon’s Droid X. Designed by Motorola, the Droid X is the Android superphone flavor-of-the-week, something that can compete head-on with the Sprint Evo 4G and the iPhone 4.

The Droid X, not to be confused with the Droid 2 which is coming later in the year, has a number of notable features, including a 4.3-inch 854×480 display, 720p HD video recording, three microphones for optimal audio recording and noise cancellation, HDMI out, and an 8MP camera with a hardware shutter button, dual LED flash, autofocus and touch-to-focus. It also can act as a 3G hotspot for up to 5 devices, just like the Evo 4G or a MiFi (for $20 extra a month). The handset has 8GB of on-board storage and includes a 16GB microSD card but is expandable up to 40GB with the use of a 32GB microSDHC card.

The Droid X runs Android 2.1 but is expected to receive an OTA update to Android 2.2 (with Adobe’s Flash Player) some time this summer.

Impressions

I’ve been using a test unit that Verizon was nice enough to send my way for over a few weeks now and I’ve had a great experience with it. We all already know how solid Android 2.1 is, so I’ll try to limit my impressions to ones that specifically relate to the Droid X.

First of all, the phone simply feels powerful. It’s fast when moving from app to app and it feels quite smooth. Combined with the large display and features like the 3G hotspot, it really feels like it can handle anything I throw at it. This is one of the main advantages to Android, as this is pretty much the case.

On the hardware side, I really like what Motorola has done here. At 65.5 x 127.5 x 9.9 mm and 155 grams the phone hass a reasonable weight, but it’s definitely large. The height and width are offset by the thinness, which prevents it from feeling as chunky as it might look in some photos. The body is thin along the entire length but expands towards the top where the camera is placed. I prefer Motorola’s design to that found on the flashier Evo 4G (and I don’t mind the lack of a kickstand).

There is no question that the size of the phone takes some getting used to. With a 4.3-inch screen one-handed use can be a challenge but the extra size makes two-handed use that much better. Typing is super smooth on the phone thanks to the size of the screen and the fluidity of the keyboard. The size also ensure that icons, controls, and everything else on screen can be accurately poked. As you have probably guessed, images and video look fantastic. If I have any complaints about the display I’d note that it’s prone to glare so I wish it could get a bit brighter.

It’s comfortable enough to hold but the extra width/length are strange, even after two weeks it still feels a bit odd. The soft-touch material on the back does help with handling it though. I noticed that the back of the phone gets bit warm when it’s under heavy use. This happens towards the bottom, below the battery compartment.

As for the smartphone stuff–calls, internet browsing, and so on–the phone does all these things well. I was happy with call quality and didn’t have any problems here. I’d like to think the three microphones make a big difference, but it’s hard say. Background noise was not a problem for me, even here in Manhattan or in an apartment with the air conditioner running. At higher volumes the voice of the person calling me could sound a bit crackly, but past that it was very clear.

Typing is excellent and I’m already speeding along while emailing and texting. I’ve tried out Swype, which comes pre-installed, but I can’t say I’m pressed with this input method–it’s easy to do with one hand, but I don’t find it to be particularly fast yet. I’ll keep practicing though and see how much I improve. Meanwhile Android does have very good voice recognition which is aided by the microphones.

On the software side the phone is rock solid, thanks to support from Android’s growing marketplace and Android 2.1. It runs a version of Motorola’s MotoBlur Android interface, but that doesn’t change the experience that much. I really like the phone’s five screen desktop approach though I found that most of Motorola’s included widgets did not handle their tasks as well as dedicated apps that I would otherwise use for the those duties.

I did run into a weird issue where the Gmail app would not send out my emails. After composing them they would go to the outbox as “Sending…” and just sit there for a bit. I’m pretty sure that what happened was that the first email I sent had a large attachment and that clogged the system up, preventing the rest from sending as that was processed. Android isn’t always great about making it clear what’s happening with the OS. I found the phone to be stable but it did crash once when switch from camera to camcorder modes, which required a restart.

I haven’t tested battery life extensively yet, but I’d been averaging about a full day’s use per charge. The large screen and the fact that I’ve been testing out apps and other features means that by the end of a day the 1570mAh battery is ready for some refueling.

It’s worth pointing out the camera, which might not be as good as that on the iPhone 4 (this is arguable) but it feels like a real camera. This is thanks to dedicated buttons for the trigger as well as zoom (the volume buttons) and a bright flash. The camera also has scene modes, visual effects, picture modes (single shot, panorama assist, self portrait, and multi-shot), quick album uploads, and tag support… just to name a few things it can do. Check out a few sample shots in the gallery below.

I’ve really been enjoying the Droid X. As an iPhone user I’m totally jealous of the features that Android offers and the power of this handset. I don’t particularly love Swype but the fact that I can switch over to this input method is fantastic. The large screen (and perks like active wallpaper) are great at times but I do think the handset is a bit large, even if it is thin. About 4.0-inches might be a sweet spot–larger than the iPhone but smaller then the Droid X/Evo 4G.

In summary: The Droid X is an impressive addition to the Android family and a really strong phone for Verizon. It’s one of the best Android phones on the market… but it’s not the huge introduction that the original Droid was. Personally it’s my current Android favorite, but keep in mind that the Droid 2 isn’t too far off. Also, don’t forget about the Droid Incredible, which is a fine phone as well.

Droid X goes on sale tomorrow, July 15th. It will sell for $199 after a $100 mail-in rebate.

Reader Comments

This seems like a decent phone.. but I’m not sure about the battery life.

Bill in Dayton, OH

The Droid X is now shipping…again. Mine shipped today (7/27) …interesting to see if they added Android 2.2 to this latest shipment.

http://highpointsd.org Matt

I am with Verizon and want to know if the they are going to be getting the iPhone soon. If not I am going to go with Droid x. I am cool with that because there is a lot I like about it. The main thing I want to know is if I can Sync my iCal and Mobilme with the Droid X?

crackerjack

The Droid has loads of features, apps, bells and whistles. Its too bad Motorolla didn’t put some of that techno-whizz into better reception and less dropped calls. Being able to get on the web is cool, but being able to call home to check on the family without the call being dropped eight times is PRICELESS! The thirty dollar pre-paid flip phone I picked up at the corner store NEVER drops my calls, no – matter WHERE I am; maybe Motorolla / Verizon ought to take a few pointers…

http://google sandy

I have the dorid X and i love it. It has everthing you need in a phone.i had a blackberry and a incredible. And i love. The dorid X. The best phone out there yet.